Machine for forming bottle top covers



1954 H. o. POTTER ETAL 2,657,323

MACHINE FOR FORMING BOTTLE TOP COVERS Filed Jan. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 2, 1954 pb ETAL 2,667,823

MACHINE FOR FORMING BOTTLE TOP COVERS Filed Jan. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb-2,1954 H01 POTTER Em 2 661,823

MACHINE FOR FORMING BOTTLE TOP COVERS Filed Jan. 15 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m. Mag wfzfiw Feb. 2, 1954 H. o. POTTER ETAL 2,667,323

MACHINE FOR FORMING BOTTLE TOP COVERS Filed Jan. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 2, 1954 MACHINE FOR FORMING BOTTLE TQP covERs :Harley 0.-Potter, Peoria, and Lester R. Carrigan, Ghillicothe, Ill., assignors to General Metals Company, Chillicothe, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 15, 1949, Serial No. 71,146

7 Claims. 1

This invention relatesto machines for forming bottle top covers and more particularly to the formation of tubular conical covers from fiat sheets or foils of metal.

In many types of bottledgoods it isv desirable to place a sealing cover over the bottle closure and a portion of the neck of the bottle to insure that there can be no tampering with the contents of the bottle without destruction of the seal. Such covers have heretofore beenmade of thin sheets of lead or of lead foil pressed around th closure and a portion of the'bottleneck and preferably cemented thereto so that the closur cannot be removed-without destruction ofthe cover. Such lead covers are very satisfactory butare extremely expensive. Ithas also "been proposed to use plastic covers, but the plastic materials which have so far-been found satisfactory for the purpose can be soitened by heatsuch as by immersion in heated Water so that they can be removed and replaced.

To overcome theobjections ofexpenserof the lead and of the removable characteristicsof the plastic covers, it has been .proposed-toemploy thin sheets or foils of metals other than lead. For example, aluminum foil sheets have been provided in flat form with an. adhesive ,on" the inner surface and have been wrapped around the bottle neck and closure by hand. This is a slow and laborious operation and furthermore does not provide uniform or 'neat, covers forthe bottle closures.

According to the present invention, thin sheets orblanks of metal s uchas aluminum arelp'reformed into conical tubes having an adhesive on their interior surface and having .an'i'nwardly turned bead at their small. ends .to' engage the closure. Such tubes. canreasilyl andquickly be dropped over the bottle top and ,canb'e pressed around theneck and closure to provide a neat and effective cover which can easily and securely be applied to prevent removal of the closure without destruction of the cover.

One of theobjects o'fthe invention isto provide-a machine in-which such-tubular closures are rapidly and simply formed of flat sheets "or blanks. 4'

Another object is to provide a machine in which fiat. sheets orblanks-aria folded around a circular mandrel by relatively pivoted jaws ,to form .a tube. In \the preferred construction a fixed jaw is provided to which twootherjawsare pivoted,v and themandrel is pivotally mounted to moyeinto the jawsto aforming position and out of the jaws to feeding position. 1

Still anotherobject is to provide a machine in which clamp means are provided to hold a sheet or blank accurately positioned on the mandrel. According to one feature, the clamp is opened automatically when the mandrel is moved out of the jaws toreceive a blank and is automatically closed prior to movement of the mandrel into the jaws.

A further object is to provide a machine including guiding means for guiding a blank accurately" on to the mandrel and which may simultaneously apply an adhesive to the edge portion of the blank to hold it in tubular form.

A still further object is to provide a machine in which the top edge of the tube is spun over to form an inturned bead thereon while the blank is held by the mandrel and forming jaws.

'Iheabove and other objects andadvantages of the invention will be more readily apparent when readfin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a completed closure formed by th machine of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view of a blank used in formin the closure; 1

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the machine of the invention'showing; the jaws in closed position;

Figure 4 is a side elevation with parts in section showing the jaws in open position;

Figure 5 is a top plan view with parts removed and parts in section showing the jaws in open position;

Figur 6 is a partial View of the jaws illustrating the position thereof when they are almost closed;

Figure '7 is an enlarged central section through the mandrel;

Figure 8 is a partial section through the mandrel and jaws in closedposition illustrating the spinning head; and

Figure'9 is a view similar to Figure 8 showing the partsat the end of the spinning operation.

Referring first to Figure l, a completed closure accordingto the invention comprises a conicaltube l9 formed of sheet material such as metal foil rolled around into a cone with its edges overlapping as indicated at H and secured together by adhesive. '-The interior surface of the cone may be coated With a suitable adhesive and its outer surface may be imprinted or enibessed or both to carry any desired insignia or labeling information. At'its upper edge'the sleeve is rolled inward, as indicated at l2, toform an internal bead which is of a size to engage the closure of the bottle. Along th edge II the sleeve may be formed with a small tab l3 detached from the underlying layer to facilitate tearing of the cover from the bottle for use. In applying a cover of this sort it is dropped loosely over the top of a bottle with the bead l2 engaging the bottle closure and the major portion of the sleeve fitting loosely over the closure and the top part of the bottle neck. The sleeve may then be squeezedin against the bottle neck and closure either by hand or'by mechanical squeezing mechanism to fit the cover tightly around the closure and bottle neck and to secure it thereto through the adhesive. With the cover so applied and particularly when a thin metal foil is used, it is impossible to remove the bottle closure without destroying the cover. Covers, as shown in Figure 1, may be formed from fiat blanks, as shown in Figure 2-. As illustrated in this figure the blank comprises a fiat thin sheet Id of metal foil or the like which is cut to a shape such that it will roll into the conical tube of Figure 1. The tab 53 is formed in one edge of the blank and the upper edge of the blank projects above the tab a sufficient distance to provide material for rolling the bead 52. Preferably, the blank is embossed or printed on one side and coated with adhesive on the other side prior to formation into the tubular cover.

The machin for forming the blanks it into completed tubular covers comprises a base 55 on which all of the working parts of the machine may be carried and which may be supported at a convenient distance above the floor by a pedestal or the like. The base carries a set of pivotally interconnected jaws shown as including a fixed jaw l6 which is rigidly supported on the base and which is formed with an arcuate substantially semi-cylindrical cavity IT. The cavity is preferably of conical formation being smaller at its upper than at its lower end for forming conical covers. As best seen in Figure 4, the jaw may consist of a block to be rigidly mounted on an upright l8 on the base having a removable lining I55 of the proper size and shape to form the bead cover desired. The interior of the jaw cavity is 1 cut away at its lower portion, as shown at 2 i, to provide space for a clamp finger on the mandrel, as described hereinafter.

A pair of pivoted jaws 22 and 23 are pivoted to the ends of the fixed jaw l6 and are formed with partially cylindrical cavities complementary to the cavity 11 so that when the pivoted jaws are closed the cavities therein will form with the cavity I! a conical opening of substantially the same size and shape as the outside of the conical cover 10. The jaws 22 and 23 may be moved between open and'olosed positions by fluid motors comprising cylinders 25 mounted on'the base l5 and having pistons 25 slidable therein which are connected through links 26 to the jaws. The pistons are urged in one direction by springs 27 to open the jaws and may be moved in the opposite direction against the springs by fluid admitted through fittings 28 at the outer ends of the cylinders. When fluid such as air under pressure is supplied through the fittings 28 the pistons will move inward to swing the jaws to their closed positions. 7

The jaws are adapted to close around a conical mandrel 29 which is of the same size and shape as the interior of the completed conical cover. As best seen in Figures 4' and 7, the mandrel 23 is hollow and is supported on a stud 3| carried by a block 32 which is loosely mounted on a hori- 4 zontal shaft 33 for pivotal movement from a substantially horizontal feeding position, as shown in Figure 4, to a vertical position lying against the fixed jaw I8. With this construction the mandrel 29 can easily be removed from the block 3! and can be replaced-by a different mandrel of different size and shape for forming different types of covers. The shaft 33 is adapted to be rotated to move the mandrel by means of an air motor 34 similar to the air motors 24 and which has its piston connected to a rack 35 meshing with a pinion 36 on the shaft 33, as best seen in Figure 3. The piston in the motor 34 is normally urged to the left, as seen in Figure 3 and 5, by a spring in the motor so'that the mandrel will be urged to its horizontal feeding position and is adapted to be moved to the right by admission of operating fluid to its left end to rock the mandrel to its vertical forming position.

In order to hold a blank on the mandrel accurately positioned thereon a clamp finger 31 is mounted on the block 52 with its upper end carrying a pad 33 to grip a blank and hold it firmly positioned on the mandrel. The clamp finger 3'! is carried by an L-shaped member 39 pivoted at ll on the block 32 and urged in a counter-clockwise direction to press against the mandrel by a spring 52. One end of the L-shaped member 39 is formed with an enlarged projection 43 which overlies a flattened portion on the shaft 3350 that when the shaft is turned counterclockwise, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, it will engage the end :33 to rock the member 39 clockwise thereby to lift the clamping finger from the mandrel. When the shaft 33 is turned counter-clockwise to move the mandrel to its feeding position, the flat portion thereon will engage the enlargement 43 and through it will apply a rocking force to the mandrel. As the mandrel reaches its feeding position, it engages a fixed stop 44 on the upright l8 so that further force applied through the shaft 35 to the member 39 will lift the clamp finger from the mandrel surface. When the shaft turns in the opposite direction, the flat portion thereof will engage the knob of a screw 45 carried by the block '32 to rock the mandrel clockwise into its vertical forming position.

In order to feed blanks accurately on to the mandrel, a guiding deviceis provided, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This device comprises a flat plate 36 lying in a generally horizontal position adjacentthe mandrel and having an adjustable plate 47 thereon projectin above the plate 46 to form a guiding edge. To press a blank on the mandrel in its feeding position, the blank'is placed on the plate 46 with the edge containing the tab I3 against the guide piece 4'! and is moved toward the mandrel. At this time the clamp finger 31 is raised from the mandrel so that the sheet may pass freely under the clam finger 37 against a stop shoulder 48 on the mandrel. This will insure that the blank p p y p sitioned on the mandrel so that it will cooperate properly with the jaws during the forming operation. It will be noted that as soon as the shaft 33 starts to turn clockwise t raise the mandrel to its forming position it will release the clamp finger which will engage the blank prlor to any movement of the mandrel and will hold the blank accurately-positioned on th mandrel. e

In addition to ng he blank into the mandrel; the gu de means may also serve to cement the edge of the 3 3.5 that. itwillibe securely he di its ormed position. =:;Eor :thisnurnose a c m ntin rolle 5,4,9 is pro i ed which-ex ends throu h an o enin in the platedfi to be sub.- stantially flush withthe ,llppersurface thereof and which y d p into cement, carr ed by a n t 5! n the uide. The -rl1 r-.49: may be driv n through a p111 y;52 from" anyesui able drivin source, not shown, so that it will conti uously dip into the cement in the potandwilhanply the cement to the edge of a bl nk. fed;0Ver the uide. While any desired tyne. .Qf cement may be emp o d, a hea v e ing ad si appl ed. i heated form is preferable. Withthis ,qonstruce tio a h a k is fed on toothe-mandrel n d eof is a ed th-v n adhes ve. which will secure the blank in its rolledform during the forming operation.

In order to form the bead l2, the base l carries an upright post 53 which supportsan outwardly extending bracket 54 carrying a verticalrotating shaft 55. The shaft 55maybe driven through pulleys 56, and a;belt 51-from a motor 58 on the bracket 54 and may be shifted vertically by a pinion 59 meshing with rack teeth 6! on the shaft. At itslower-end the shaft may carry a chuck 62, and vertical movement of the shaft may be limited by a screw 53 secured. thereto and carrying stop nuts too-engage a bracket 64 on the bracket 54. .This mechanism as so far described is substantially similar to the conventional drill press, and a standard drill press construction may obviously beemployed. However, to move the shaft vvertically the pinion 59 is connected to a fluid ,motor 65 similar to the fluid motors 24 and which is normally urged to the position shown in Figure v.4, by a spring inthe motor. Fluid supplied to the right end of the motor E5 will turn the gear 59 counter-clocke wise to move the shaft downwardto a position where the stop screw limits further movement.

The chuck 62 carries aspinner head 66 which, as best seen in Figures8 and 9, comprises aflat plate having upwardly projecting stem 61 to be received in the chuck and which is formed in its lower surface with an annular groove 68 preferably of semi-circular section. The lower surface may also carry a central circular guide projection 69 to fit rotatably in a bushing 1| carried by the upper endof the mandrel to guide the spinner head accurately ,towardthe. mandrel.

In use of themachinerblanks are fed on to the mandrel over the guide means, as described above, with the machine in its feeding position as shown in Figuresdand 5,. Air is thenlsupplied to themotor iltonrocksthe, shaft 33..therey to wing h mandrelto. itsevertical formin position in contact with the cavity I! of the fixed jaw IS. The clamp finger'31 during this movement holds the blank firmly positioned on themandrel, and whenthe mandrel is elevated, the clamp finger will be received in the recess 2| so that the blank will be pressed against the surface of the cavity l1 throughout the remainder of the surface. Since the cavity I1 is substantially semi-circular, the blank will be bent into a U-shape with the legs of the U projecting outward adjacent the jaws 22 and 23.

Air is then supplied to the motors 24 in such a manner that the motor connected to the jaw 22 will operate first. Conveniently for this purpose the air connections may lead to the motor connected to the jaw 22 from the control valve and from this motor to the motor connected to the jaw 23 so that the jaw 23 will move after the jaw 22. As seen in Figure 6, the blank is so positioned thatan edge portion thercoftproev jectsl-beyond the jaw-i2.2itwhilecthe opposite edge. thereof .which has .:been.-c0ated :yvith adhesive; in the feeding means-terminates.substantiallyxflush with the jaw .23. .Due toasuccessive;,operation of the jaws the jaw :22: will first; fold 4011B edge portion of the blank :againststhe mandrel with the edgeof the blank projectingbeyond the jaw as :shown in Figure :6. -,-The jaw ::2 3. .-will.-.theree after foldthe opposite: edge portionrpf the blank against the: mandreland :will; press the cemented edge thereof against a the edge :portion...projecting from .the jaw .22 ineoverlapping; relationso that the two edges will -be .firmlyv secured :together. It will be noted thatwhen .-.a ;quick setting ad: hesive such as a heat sealing adhesive isemployed ..the "edges-of the blank .will: be secured very quickly so that the :formed, blank adocs not need to be retained; in the jaws for aprolonged period' to allow setting of theadhesive,

With the vjaws this rposition. the; parts will be as shown, in Figure-,8 with the 7 upper edgeeef the blank. proiectin eabovevrthetop inf the; me a drelflandthe tone ses,...of the;jaw which-e 1 flush with themandre thereafter:-..air;; inay:he admitted to vthe motnrfid tnimovethesshait .155 downward. Du in th s operation h p aisetion 69 enters the bushing 'll aI-id-th ofzthe lan wille terthe sm t H ternal; ameter. sub an allvaedual t9" the iman e o he-mand el east-shown- Asthehead 65 tate d mov s downward -.i wililrol or s n h Projecting u per: dge-c thev b k int a bead, as shown in- EigureB. Itwillbanotecl that the bcad need notbeacompleteclosed bead, as indicated, but i; preferably .extendsthrough. at

least a halfof a circle,,-as,-seen in section, to,

insure proper engagementwith ;the;bottle closure with adequate strength toresistmemoval of the closure without destruction of-thetoppart of the cover. Upon cempletion of this operation, air may beexhausted from the several motors allowing the parts to returnunder.theinfiuence ofsthe'springs the motors tothe feeding posi-r tion shownin-Figures 4 a nd 5o. In this, position the clamp finger 31 is opened so that the com-v pleted cover. can easily ,beremoved ,from the m ndr l anda new blank placed. on t e. mandrel. It will be understood-that the ,controlvalves may. be I so arranged that the sequence, of,,,operations is, automatic sothat all, ,the op v fatorneeds to, do is to supply blanksto the mandrel, vremove completed covers from,the,mandrel and initiate the, p rat n. Thus byth ;nre enti nv nt on c ers may easily and quickly, bejormed with-a, mi

- is not to'be taken as a definition ofthe scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for forming bottle top covers comprising a fixed arcuate jaw, a pair of arcuate jaws pivoted to the fixed jaw to form therewith a substantially complete circle when in closed position, a mandrel pivoted adjacent one end of the fixed jaws, a clamp on the mandrel to hold a sheet thereon, means operated by movement of the mandrel toward the jaws to open the clamp when the mandrel is in the jaws, and means to swing the mandrel and to move the pivoted jaws.

2. A machine for forming bottle top covers comprising a fixed arcuate jaw, a pair of arcuate jaws pivoted to the fixed jaw to form therewith a substantially complete circle when in closed position, a mandrel pivoted adjacent one end of the fixed jaws, means to swing the mandreland to move the pivoted jaws, a clamp on the mandrel to hold a sheet thereon, a shaft extending rotatably' through the mandrel on its pivotal axis, interengaging parts on the shaft and the clamp to open the clamp when the shaft is turned in a direction to swing the mandrel out of the jaws, interengaging parts on the shaft and mandrel to engage when the shaft is turned in the opposite direction, means to turn the shaft, and means to move the pivoted jaws.

3. A machine for forming bottle top covers comprising a mandrel of circular section, movable jaws to fold a sheet about the mandrel into a tubular cover with one end projecting beyond the mandrel and jaws, a rotatable spinner movable axially toward the mandrel and havin an annular groove in its face of substantially the same external diameter as the cover, and means to move the spinner axially toward the mandrel to roll the projecting end of the cover into a bead, the mandrel having a central opening at its end, and the spinner having a coaxial guide projection to fit into the opening.

4. A machine for forming bottle top covers comprising a plurality of jaws relatively pivotal about vertical axes, a mandrel swingable about a horizontal axis from a generally horizontal feeding position to a vertical position in the jaws, a clamp carried by the mandrel to hold a sheet thereon, means to open the clamp when the mandrel is in its feeding position, means to move the mandrel into the jaws with a sheet clamped thereon, means to close the jaws around the mandrel to fold the sheet into a tubular cover with its upper edge projecting above the mandrel and jaws, a rotatable spinner above the mandrel and jaws having an annular groove in its lower face of substantially the same external diameter as the upper end of the mandrel, and means to move the spinner axially toward the mandrel.

5. A machine for forming bottle top covers comprising a plurality of jaws relatively pivotal about vertical axes, a mandrel swingable about a horizontal axis from a generally horizontal feeding position to a vertical position in the jaws, a clamp carried by the mandrel to hold a sheet ,thereon, means to open the clamp when the mandrel is in its feeding position, a horizontal guide lying adjacent the mandrel when the mandrel is in its feeding position to guide a sheet into the clamp, means on the guide to apply adhesive to one edge of a sheet passing thereover, means to swing the mandrel into the jaws, means to close the jaws successively about the mandrel with the 6. A machine for forming bottle top covers comprising a fixed jaw member having an elongated cavity of partially circular section therein, a mandrel movable into the cavity, a pair of pivoted jaw members pivoted at the edges of the fixed jaw member on axes substantially parallel to the cavity length and movable toward the mandrel and cooperating with the fixed jaw member substantially to inclose the mandrel, the pivoted jaw members being of a width such that their free edges will abut when they are moved toward the mandrel, clamping means on the mandrel to hold a sheet in position thereon, means to open the clamping means when the mandrel is removed from the fixed jaw and to close it as the mandrel moves toward the fixed jaw, and means to move the mandrel toward and away from the fixed jaw and to move the pivoted jaws toward and away from the mandrel.

7. A machine for forming bottle top covers comprising a fixed jaw member having an elongated cavity of partially circular section therein, a mandrel movable into the cavity, a pair of pivoted jaw members pivoted at the edges of the fixed jaw member on axes substantially parallel to the cavity length and movable toward the mandrel and cooperating with the fixed jaw member substantially to inclose the mandrel, a pivoted clamp on the mandrel to hold a sheet thereon, a spring urging the clamp toward the mandrel, means to move the mandrel engageable with the clamp to move it away from the mandrel when the mandrel is away from the fixed jaw, and means to move the pivoted jaws toward the mandrel to fold the sheet around the mandrel.

HARLEY O. POTTER. LESTER R. CARRIGAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 267,197 Harmon Nov. 7, 1882 509,874 Carter Dec. 5, 1893 1,983,361 Gazette Dec. 4, 1934 2,125,414 Baker Aug. 2, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 633,406 France Oct. 24, 1927 

